(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s state-owned bridges are in better condition than locally owned county or municipality bridges, according to a new report.
Only 1.6% of the 5,300 bridges statewide operated by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation are considered in poor condition, according to data analyzed by Wisconsin Policy Forum.
That compared to 11.3% of the county-owned bridges being rated poor, 8.8% of those in cities and villages and 8.6% of town-owned bridges being rated poor.
Each Wisconsin bridge is evaluated on three criteria at least every two years, with those in poor condition or older bridges evaluated more frequently, according to the report.
Overall, 51.0% of Wisconsin’s bridges were rated “good” with 6.6% rated in “poor” condition in 2024. Nationwide, 44.1% of bridges are rated as “good.”
“The proportion of Wisconsin’s bridges in good condition consistently has surpassed the national average for many years,” Wisconsin Policy Forum wrote.
Wisconsin’s DOT owns 37.3% of bridges, towns own 31.3%, counties own 21.8% and both cities and villages own 9.4% of the bridges.
The bridges are rated on the condition of the bridge’s deck, the structure that supports the deck and the substructure that supports the entire bridge.
Each area of the bridge is given a rating between zero and nine with zero a failure and nine an excellent rating.
The bridge’s final score is determined by the lowest of the three ratings.
“Bridges are a vital part of Wisconsin’s road network, helping to connect communities and businesses across the state,” the analysis said. “Bridges that are in poor condition are more likely to have weight limits on the vehicles that use them or to be closed completely, which can result in increased traffic congestion and travel times and contribute to potential economic disruptions.”
The analysis showed that local governments have a more difficult time funding bridge repairs and replacements despite $100 million in supplemental state funds that have been available for the repairs in each of the past four state budgets.
“The recent increases in shared revenue and state transportation aid may help communities to fund local bridge projects going forward,” the analysis said. “Many local communities, however, may continue to find it difficult to finance major bridge projects without running up against state limits to property tax increases. Ultimately, state and local leaders will have to decide how much they’re willing to tax and spend in service of maintaining high-quality bridges on interstates and rural roads.”
